Bone broth’s light, savoury taste and all-natural nutrition have made it a favourite for people looking to nurture their body’s overall health and wellbeing.

But did you know that bone broth is also a great pre and post workout recovery drink? We’ll explain why.

What is Bone Broth?

Freja’s 100% natural bone broth has only four ingredients – meaty joints, vegetables, herbs and filtered water. First, we roast the joints, and then we simmer them low and slow with vegetables and herbs to draw out all the goodness from the bones. 

5 Ways Bone Broth Supports Your Body Pre- and Post-Workout

Why is bone broth good after workouts – and before them too? Because of its electrolytes, protein, amino acids and collagen. They help give your body what it needs to maintain balance, build muscle and stay strong. 

1. Electrolytes for Rehydration

When you work out hard, you lose electrolytes in your sweat, leaving you at risk of getting dizzy or faint.

Electrolyte drinks help restore the water you’ve lost by sweating and the electrolytes that you need to maintain your body’s balance.

But most of the electrolyte drinks UK shops offer are full of sugar and artificial flavours. Even sugar-free electrolyte drinks are usually brightly coloured with additives and chemically sweetened. 

There’s a better option. Bone broth is one of the best natural electrolyte drinks, without sugar or chemicals added. It re-balances your body simply with electrolytes from simmered bones and vegetables. 

2. Protein to Decrease Muscle Breakdown

When you work out, you’re intentionally putting your muscles under some stress. That means you need protein for muscle recovery – and experts say you should consume it within 30 minutes of your workout. Since few of us can (or want to) eat a big protein-heavy meal right after working out, most people look to a drink to get their nutrition quick. 

So, what is the best post-workout drink for muscle gain? Again, you can buy a protein drink in the shops, but it’s likely to be full of artificial flavours and preservatives. Bone broth, on the other hand, is packed with protein. In fact, Freja beef bone broth has 4 grams per 100g serving.

3. Collagen and Amino Acids for Joint Health

Amino acids are well known as the building blocks of protein. They’re crucial not just for muscle, but for other forms of protein around the body, including collagen in the joints. 

That’s where bone broth shines. It contains the amino acids glycine and proline, which are two of the three components the body needs to make collagen. In fact, bone broth actually contains collagen too, which your body can break down to keep its own collagen strong.

4. Gentle Nutrition for Gut Health

Intense physical training can be rewarding but hard on the gut. What’s more, the specific diet necessary for a training regime can be tough on the gut and the good bacteria in it.

Bone broth is a great way to give your gut a little extra support. The nutrients in bone broth are easily digestible. That makes them available more quickly after a workout, rather than taking a long time to digest like a heavy meal would. 

And when it comes to being kind to your gut microbiome, avoiding the artificial post-workout drinks we’ve already discussed is essential. Sugary drinks only feed the bad bacteria in your gut and lead to imbalances.

5. Amino Acids to Bolster Your Immune System

Amino acids aren’t just all about building your body. It’s well known that some amino acids, such as glycine, play a part in the immune system.

When you’re ill, your body can’t synthesise some of the amino acids it usually can. These are called “conditionally essential” amino acids. So, if you’re working out hard and stressing your body, or if you’re building muscle, your body may have a hard time synthesising as much of these conditionally essential amino acids as it needs. 

Bone broth can help. It has the conditionally essential amino acids glycine, glutamine, proline and arginine that your body needs to heal and get stronger so you can keep working out at maximum effectiveness.

Get Started Boosting Your Workouts with Bone Broth

Ready to start using bone broth for electrolyte rich drinks and nourishing post-workout recovery drinks?

Try a nourishing cup of broth or boosted broth after your workout in place of a sugary, neon-coloured sports drink or protein drink. Or explore our recipes for or meals like bone broth shakshuka for natural nutrition ahead of a workout.